Dear Cathedral Family,Easter lasts for the whole month of April! The great fifty days of Easter stretch all the way to the Day of Pentecost on May 15, giving us an ample season of living in the light of the resurrection, giving thanks for the freedom that Jesus Christ has given us through his defeat of death. As I suggested in the sermon on the second Sunday of Easter, this is a time when we could well begin each day with a short prayer of thanks to God that we are free; then we could live each day in awareness of that freedom from all the life-denying ways to which we are prone.

April 7 through 10, I will leave the beautiful Mobile spring to travel to cold and snowy Erie, Pennsylvania for the annual North American Deans Conference. Cathedral Deans from throughout the United States and Canada will gather for four days of sharing ideas, worship, and fellowship. This will my first Deans Conference, and I very much look forward to this time of learning and making connections.The last Sunday in April will be our 11th annual Cathedral Celebration, held each year on the Sunday closest to the date on which Christ Church was named cathedral of our diocese-April 23, 2005. Our tradition has been to request that date for the bishop's parochial visit each year, and this year is no exception. This will be the first parochial visit with Bishop Russell Kendrick. He will meet with the Vestry and then with confirmands and their families and sponsors before the worship service. Then he will preach, celebrate and confirm during our 10:00 o'clock worship. The celebration continues with lunch in the garden, weather permitting.

I hope that you are receiving and reading the weekly email blasts, containing not only Sunday's worship bulletin, but also other announcements and notes and links to various resources of interest. Look for links to information on this summer's Vacation Bible School, pictures from recent celebrations, as well as to the podcast produced by Johnny Gwin and Stacy Wellborn. I have had fun doing this podcast with them each week, and I think many of you might enjoy it and share it with your friends.

Let's give thanks this month to the Risen Lord for all the things He has done for us!